Product Startup
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Product Startup

Inspiring hardware product development stories and expert advice.

Product Startup

Inspiring hardware product development stories and expert advice.

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Top-ranked hardware product podcast
200+ episodes with industry leaders
Hosted by product development expert Kevin Mako
Connect with retailers, investors, and manufacturers

About Product Startup

Inspiring hardware product development stories and expert advice.

The Product Startup Podcast is the hardware product development industry's #1 podcast. From invention idea to getting onto store shelves, and everything in between.

Why Join Product Startup as a Guest

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Episodes
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HD Audio & Video Remote Ready Austin, United States English
Consumer Product Audience

You reach thousands of founders, designers, and hardware entrepreneurs actively building and launching physical products.

Founder-Led Interviews

You'll join a proven format of deep-dive interviews with inventors, engineers, and product leaders sharing real startup journeys.

Expert Guest Lineup

You'll be featured alongside top patent attorneys, engineers, and investors who've built or backed real hardware products.

Apple & Spotify Reach

Your episode is distributed across major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify for maximum discoverability.

Episode Angles & Guest Pitches

✨ AI Enhanced
Your Product Development Journey

Share how you designed, prototyped, and launched your physical product

Early idea validation Design iterations First prototype wins
Scaling After Crowdfunding

Discuss the challenges and wins of growing post-Kickstarter or Indiegogo

Crowdfunding prep Manufacturing scale-up Retail expansion
Lessons from Failed Products

Reveal what didn't work and how you pivoted or reused product ideas

Failure recovery IP reuse Market repositioning
From Engineer to Entrepreneur

Unpack your shift from technical expert to product business leader

Mindset shift Team building Sales and marketing
How You'd Contribute to the Show
Audience Takeaways

Listeners will walk away with actionable insights on designing, launching, or scaling a physical product business.

Hot Topics
From napkin sketch to store shelves: how you built your product
Lessons from your first production run or crowdfunding launch
How you navigated IP, prototyping, or manufacturing hurdles
Why Trust Me
Hosted by Kevin Mako, founder of Mako Design + Invent
Over 200 episodes with product leaders and startup founders
Featured guests include angel investors and Fortune 500 engineers
The Ideal Guest

You're a founder, engineer, designer, or investor with a physical product story-whether you're early-stage or scaling globally. If your insights help product startups, this platform is for you.

Recent Episodes

233: Raising Money For Scaling Via a Crowdfunding Campaign

Product Startup Jul 25, 2024

232: Video Product Renderings for Your Invention

Product Startup Jul 7, 2024

231: Selling Your Invention on Your Own Website Starting from Zero

Product Startup Jun 20, 2024

230: Product Packaging Advice for Your New Hardware Invention

Product Startup Jun 14, 2024

229: Overview of Patenting for Hardware Startups

Product Startup Jun 7, 2024

228: How to Build a Digital Community Before Launching Your Invention

Product Startup May 30, 2024

227: How to Sell Your Invention Direct to Companies as a Promotional Product

Product Startup May 24, 2024

226: Maximizing Your Invention’s Perceived Value Through Marketing

Product Startup May 16, 2024

225: Communication Silos for Product Design Stakeholders

Product Startup May 9, 2024

224: Expanding Your Product Into New Verticals

Product Startup May 2, 2024

223: Mechanical Prototype Parts vs. Pre-Production Parts for Plastic Inventions

Product Startup Apr 26, 2024

222: Securing Grants for Scaling Up a Hardware Startup

Product Startup Apr 18, 2024

221: How to Go from Prototype to First Manufacturing Run

Product Startup Apr 11, 2024

220: How Storytelling Drives Consumer Product Sales

Product Startup Apr 5, 2024

219: Hiring Your First Team Members at a Hardware Startup

Product Startup Mar 28, 2024

218: Best Sales Processes for Selling Hardware Products

Product Startup Mar 21, 2024

217: Using Crowdfunding for Real Customer Feedback on Your Invention

Product Startup Mar 14, 2024

216: 5 Key Tips For Starting Your Product Development Journey

Product Startup Mar 11, 2024

215: Launching a New Product on Walmart Marketplace

Product Startup Mar 1, 2024

214: Affiliate Marketing for D2C Sales of Inventions

Product Startup Feb 22, 2024

213: Researching How Your Product Fits on Amazon

Product Startup Feb 15, 2024

212: The Customer Experience for New Hardware Products

Product Startup Feb 5, 2024

211: Establishing Product Manufacturing Operations

Product Startup Jan 28, 2024

210: Using Ad Funnels for D2C Product Sales

Product Startup Jan 19, 2024

209: Materials Research for Consumer Product Design

Product Startup Jan 12, 2024

208: Choosing Quality Materials for Your Consumer Product

Product Startup Dec 29, 2023

207: 4 Parts of Intellectual Property for a Hardware Startup

Product Startup Dec 22, 2023

206: How to Sell Your Hardware Product Business

Product Startup Dec 15, 2023

205: Advances in Electronic Product Engineering Methods

Product Startup Dec 14, 2023

204: Build a List of Wholesale Buyers for Your New Invention

Product Startup Dec 2, 2023

203: Design for Manufacturing for a New Invention Product

Product Startup Nov 24, 2023

202: Paid Advertising for Hardware Products on TikTok

Product Startup Nov 16, 2023

201: Product Listing Success on Amazon Marketplace

Product Startup Nov 10, 2023

200: 8 Pillars of Product Marketing Success

Product Startup Nov 3, 2023

199: Selling a New Product Successfully on Amazon

Product Startup Oct 28, 2023

198: Hardware Success on Walmart Marketplace

Product Startup Oct 19, 2023

197: Go From Hardware Startup to Scale Up

Product Startup Oct 12, 2023

196: Common Gaps Being Ready for Manufacturing

Product Startup Oct 5, 2023

195: Ensuring Profitability on Shopify and Amazon

Product Startup Sep 28, 2023

194: The Importance of Sketch Design for New Hardware Products

Product Startup Sep 21, 2023

193: 3D Printing Overview for New Inventions

Product Startup Sep 14, 2023

192: The Importance of Building a Community for Your Hardware Startup

Product Startup Sep 7, 2023

191: How to Grow Your Crowdfunding Sales

Product Startup Sep 1, 2023

190: Ethnocentric Design for Your Invention

Product Startup Aug 24, 2023

189: The Power of Your Team in Building Hardware Innovations

Product Startup Aug 18, 2023

188: Use Inventor Narrative to Design Great Hardware Products

Product Startup Aug 11, 2023

187: e-Commerce Strategies for New Hardware Products

Product Startup Aug 3, 2023

186: Product Renderings for a New Invention

Product Startup Jul 27, 2023

185: Building a Successful Hardware Startup Multiple Times

Product Startup Jul 21, 2023

184: The Value of Low-Volume Invention Manufacturing

Product Startup Jul 13, 2023

183: Getting a New Hardware Product into Retail Stores

Product Startup Jul 7, 2023

182: Consumer Product Hardware Trends in Mid 2023

Product Startup Jun 30, 2023

181: Digital Advertising for Selling New Hardware Products

Product Startup Jun 22, 2023

180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders

Product Startup Jun 15, 2023

179: Maximize the Value of your Design Agency Partner

Product Startup Jun 8, 2023

178: Venture Capital Funding for Hardware Startups

Product Startup Jun 1, 2023

177: Package Design Tips for New Hardware Products

Product Startup May 25, 2023

176: How Hardware Founders Should Represent Their Product

Product Startup May 18, 2023

175: Raising Hardware Funding via an Angel Investor

Product Startup May 11, 2023

174: Agile Product Development & Additive Manufacturing

Product Startup May 4, 2023

173: Augmented Reality Technology in Hardware Startups

Product Startup Apr 27, 2023

172: Early Concept Design for a New Hardware Invention

Product Startup Apr 20, 2023

171: Choosing Features and Validating Your Invention

Product Startup Apr 13, 2023

170: Current Trends of Modern Product Development

Product Startup Apr 6, 2023

169: Critical Testing Stages in New Product Development

Product Startup Mar 30, 2023

168: The Future of Hardware Product Design Thinking

Product Startup Mar 23, 2023

167: Get Free Earned Media for a New Hardware Product

Product Startup Mar 16, 2023

166: Storytelling Tips for Hardware Product Launches

Product Startup Mar 9, 2023

165: Iterative Design Processes & Tools for Hardware Development

Product Startup Mar 2, 2023

164: The 3 Prototyping Phases for New Product Development

Product Startup Feb 23, 2023

163: 2023 Trends in Product Development for Hardware Products

Product Startup Feb 16, 2023

162: Product Pre Launch Strategies For Crowdfunding Success

Product Startup Feb 10, 2023

161: Build a Manufacturing Facility for Your New Product

Product Startup Feb 2, 2023

160: Growing Your Hardware Product Through Paid Ads

Product Startup Jan 26, 2023

159: Build a Community to Sell Your New Product Invention

Product Startup Jan 18, 2023

158: Thinking Sustainability in Hardware Product Design

Product Startup Jan 13, 2023

157: How Hardware Startups Compete with Big Business

Product Startup Jan 5, 2023

156: The Evolution of Sales Channels for Hardware Products

Product Startup Dec 30, 2022

155: Identifying a Sourcing Partner for Overseas Manufacturing

Product Startup Dec 21, 2022

154: 3 Key Parts to Developing a Great New Product

Product Startup Dec 15, 2022

153: The Evolution of CAD Product Development Software

Product Startup Dec 7, 2022

152: Three Main Problems When Scaling a Hardware Startup

Product Startup Dec 1, 2022

151: The AIDA Marketing Method for Hardware Startups

Product Startup Nov 23, 2022

150: Building Product Prototypes with Your Design Team

Product Startup Nov 16, 2022

149: How to Professionally Prototype your Invention Idea

Product Startup Nov 9, 2022

148: Grow Your Hardware Product Sales Via Trade Shows

Product Startup Nov 2, 2022

147: Transition from Hardware Product Startup to Hardware Scaleup

Product Startup Oct 26, 2022

146: Transparency in the Design For Manufacturing Process

Product Startup Oct 19, 2022

145: Expanding Your Startup Hardware Product Line

Product Startup Oct 12, 2022

144: How to Sell a New Invention on Amazon Marketplace

Product Startup Oct 5, 2022

143: Build Your Own Manufacturing for Your Invention

Product Startup Sep 28, 2022

142: Preparing Your Product for Manufacturing Overseas

Product Startup Sep 21, 2022

141: Product Sales Process for Hardware Startups

Product Startup Sep 14, 2022

140: Local Manufacturing for a New Hardware Invention Idea

Product Startup Sep 7, 2022

139: How to Scale Your Physical Product in Retail Stores

Product Startup Aug 31, 2022

138: Using Audio Ads to Sell New Hardware Products

Product Startup Aug 24, 2022

137: Customer Feedback at Physical Product Launches

Product Startup Aug 17, 2022

136: Selling a New Physical Product with Google Ads

Product Startup Aug 10, 2022

135: Performance Marketing for New Hardware Products

Product Startup Aug 3, 2022

134: How to Sell Your Hardware Product B2B

Product Startup Jul 27, 2022

133: Using Email Marketing to Sell Physical Products

Product Startup Jul 20, 2022

132: Invention Success in the Construction Industry

Product Startup Jul 13, 2022

131: Why Doing Good with Your Hardware Product Matters

Product Startup Jul 6, 2022

130: Choosing an eCommerce Platform for your Hardware Product

Product Startup Jun 22, 2022

129: The Best Hardware Product Development Processes

Product Startup Jun 15, 2022

128: Creating an App for Your Hardware Device

Product Startup Jun 8, 2022

127: Benefits of Makerspaces to Product Startups

Product Startup Jun 1, 2022

126: What Makes a Consumer Product Invention Great

Product Startup May 25, 2022

125: Pitching Your Invention to Big Product Businesses

Product Startup May 11, 2022

124: Raising $1 Million for a Hardware Startup

Product Startup Apr 27, 2022

123: Selling A Hardware Product on B2B Platforms

Product Startup Apr 20, 2022

122: Modern Methods for New Product Development

Product Startup Apr 13, 2022

121: Disrupt an Industry with your Hardware Invention

Product Startup Apr 6, 2022

120: People & Mindset at a Hardware Startup

Product Startup Mar 30, 2022

119: Planning for the Unexpected in Product Design

Product Startup Mar 23, 2022

118: Behavioral Science of Subtraction in Product Design

Product Startup Mar 16, 2022

117: Successful Equity Crowdfunding for Hardware Startups

Product Startup Mar 9, 2022

116: How to Turn an Invention into a Product Business

Product Startup Mar 2, 2022

115: How to Successfully Design & Launch a Toy Invention

Product Startup Feb 23, 2022

114: Designing an MVP for a New Consumer Product

Product Startup Feb 16, 2022

113: How Founders Develop Complex Hardware Products

Product Startup Feb 9, 2022

112: Designing & Commercializing Robotics Inventions

Product Startup Feb 2, 2022

111: Selling & Growing Your Product at Retail Stores

Product Startup Jan 26, 2022

110: Design for Manufacturing Consumer Products

Product Startup Jan 19, 2022

109: Landing Page Sales Funnels for Consumer Products

Product Startup Jan 12, 2022

108: Hardware Design Tips from Apple & Intel Leader

Product Startup Jan 5, 2022

107: Using Hardware Incubators for Product Startups

Product Startup Dec 22, 2021

106: Building Your Hardware Product Team Early

Product Startup Dec 15, 2021

105: Patenting Physical Consumer Product Inventions

Product Startup Dec 8, 2021

104: Medical Device Certification vs Wellness Device

Product Startup Dec 1, 2021

103: How to Get a New Product’s First B2B Sales

Product Startup Nov 24, 2021

102: How Students Start Successful Hardware Businesses

Product Startup Nov 17, 2021

101: Payment Processing for Small Hardware Manufacturers

Product Startup Nov 10, 2021

100: Pitch Deck Storytelling for Hardware Funding

Product Startup Nov 3, 2021

099: Accounts Receivable Funding for Big Orders

Product Startup Oct 27, 2021

098: Expand eCommerce Sales via Product Bundling

Product Startup Oct 20, 2021

097: How to Overcome Product Buyers’ Objections

Product Startup Oct 13, 2021

096: How To Launch a Consumer Product at Trade Shows

Product Startup Oct 6, 2021

095: Solve End-User Pain for Consumer Product Success

Product Startup Sep 29, 2021

094: How New Startup Products Get Into Big Retailers

Product Startup Sep 22, 2021

093: Selling Products Direct to End-Customer Online

Product Startup Sep 15, 2021

092: Making a Product Video for Your Invention

Product Startup Sep 8, 2021

091: Market Testing Prior to a Crowdfunding Launch

Product Startup Sep 1, 2021

090: Disrupting Industries with AR/VR Technology

Product Startup Aug 25, 2021

089: Selling Your Hardware Product Via Remote Meetings

Product Startup Aug 18, 2021

088: The Importance of Sustainable Product Manufacturing

Product Startup Aug 11, 2021

087: Purpose is a Big Part of Consumer Product Success

Product Startup Aug 4, 2021

086: Marketing Fundamentals for Consumer Product Startups

Product Startup Jul 28, 2021

085: Scaling Your Product Up After Crowdfunding

Product Startup Jul 21, 2021

084: How To Raise Big Money for Your Hardware Startup

Product Startup Jul 14, 2021

083: Benefits of Additive Manufacturing for New Inventions

Product Startup Jul 7, 2021

082: Smooth Product Flow from Visual Design to Engineering

Product Startup Jun 30, 2021

081: How To License Major Brands and Celebrities

Product Startup Jun 23, 2021

080: How to Maximize Your Product's Sales in Retail Stores

Product Startup Jun 16, 2021

079: How To Start Selling Your Product Then Scale

Product Startup Jun 9, 2021

078: Selling Products Direct to End-Users via Shopify

Product Startup Jun 2, 2021

077: Using Prospective Customers to Develop a Product

Product Startup May 26, 2021

076: Warehousing, Fulfillment, and Shipping to Customers

Product Startup May 19, 2021

075: Launch a Product Big, with Host of QVC & ShopHQ

Product Startup May 12, 2021

074: Medical Device Product Development Best Practices

Product Startup May 5, 2021

073: Tips from the World’s Biggest Crowdfunding Agency

Product Startup Apr 28, 2021

072: Why New Consumer Products Need to be Premium

Product Startup Apr 21, 2021

071: Making a Better Product in a Competitive Market

Product Startup Apr 14, 2021

070: Financing & Acquisition for Product Companies

Product Startup Apr 8, 2021

069: PhD & Harvard Grad on the 4 Ps of Product Marketing

Product Startup Apr 1, 2021

068: Partnership & Funding Legal Considerations for Product Startups

Product Startup Mar 23, 2021

067: Modern Funding Tools for Hardware Product Startups

Product Startup Mar 16, 2021

066: E-Commerce Platforms for Launching a Consumer Product

Product Startup Mar 9, 2021

065: Hardware Funding from Seed Financing to Millions

Product Startup Mar 2, 2021

064: Preparing and Executing Your Product's First Production Run

Product Startup Feb 23, 2021

063: Hardware Startup Tips from a 22 Year Apple Exec

Product Startup Feb 17, 2021

062: Smoothing the Buying Process When Marketing Your New Product

Product Startup Feb 9, 2021

061: 5 Sales Channels a Home Inventor Mom Used to Launch Her Invention

Product Startup Feb 2, 2021

060: How to Professionally License Your New Product

Product Startup Jan 19, 2021

059: Best Practices for Quality Control on Overseas Production of Your Product

Product Startup Jan 5, 2021

058: How to Pitch Your Product to Retail Stores

Product Startup Dec 21, 2020

057: From Invention Idea to $100,000 on Dragon's Den

Product Startup Nov 18, 2020

056: Mistakes, Opportunities, & Feedback for a New Product

Product Startup Oct 21, 2020

055 - Training Creativity to Get More (and Better) Ideas

Product Startup Jun 20, 2017

054 - Food-safe Children's Products, Dan & Justin with Milton the Mealtime Companion

Product Startup Jun 6, 2017

053 - Manufacturing, Quality & 3D Printing

Product Startup May 23, 2017

052 - The business model behind custom window coverings, Alice Orozco of Pret-a-Portiere

Product Startup May 9, 2017

051 - Launching a turmeric-based alternative to coffee, Samantha & Elaine of Midas Cup

Product Startup May 2, 2017

050 - Creating environmentally-friendly athletic apparel,  Tim Christian of OORR

Product Startup Apr 25, 2017

049 - Getting Angel Investment, with Juliana Garaizar of the Houston Angel Network

Product Startup Apr 18, 2017

048 - As-Seen-On-TV Products & Product Licensing, Bill McAlister of Top Dog Direct

Product Startup Apr 11, 2017

047 - Financial, legal and HR traps of buying and selling small businesses, Chris Ray & Chariss Tatman of C2 Group

Product Startup Apr 4, 2017

046 - Bootstrapping Product Development, Stephanie Cummings & Tal Berke of Shlocker

Product Startup Mar 28, 2017

045 - Product development and Kickstarter launch of Botanium, a product that helps people grow herbs and chilis - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Mar 21, 2017

044 - Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Mar 14, 2017

043 President Trump's Proposed Trade Policies & U.S. Manufacturing, Chris Mitchell of mfg.com - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Mar 7, 2017

042 - All-Natural Insect Repellant & Reusing Failed Products, Stacy Marking with Lemongrass Trading Co - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Feb 28, 2017

041 - Testing Stereo Components with Jay DeMerit of RockIt Logs - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Feb 21, 2017

040 - Stop Overpaying Your Small Business Taxes, Diane Gardner of Tax Coach 4 You - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Feb 14, 2017

039 - Developing a Rock Crushing Machine & Quality Control with Tim Pannell of Rocksgone - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Feb 7, 2017

038 - Validating Conflict-Free Jewelry in Pop-Up Shops with Farah Qureshi - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Jan 31, 2017

037 - Launching a Minecraft-Inspired Product with Ruth Stone of Boxhead Crafts - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Jan 24, 2017

036 - Helping Wildlife & Developing Ceramic Products with Gavin Christman of Green&Blue - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Jan 17, 2017

035 - A 90-Day Advertising Strategy on a Budget with Paul Potratz of The Growth Mindset - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Jan 10, 2017

034 - Staying Motivated & Overcoming Lack of Money, Time & Skills - The Product Startup: Product development for small business

Product Startup Jan 3, 2017

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